VMI Archives Historical Rosters: William Alexander Harris

Historical Rosters Database

William Alexander Harris

Roster ID 1082
This is a summary. Contact the Archives for additional biographical information.

First Name:	William
Middle Name:	Alexander
Last Name:	Harris
Suffix:
Affiliation:	Class of 1862
Biography & Genealogy:	William Alexander Harris, Class of 1862: Genealogy: Born- Oct. 29, 1841 in Loudoun Co. Va. Father- William A. Harris, a journalist and Congressman born Aug. 8, 1805 in Fauquier Co. Va. Mother- Frances Murray. No information on grandparents. Married- 1st- Mary Lionberger, daughter of John Lionberger of Luray, Va.; 2nd- Corinne Mackey on Dec. 18, 1895. Children- (unknown which marriage children are from) 1- Page Harris; 2- Mrs. Frances Harris Patterson; 3- Mrs. Isabelle Harris Byrne; 4- Mrs. Elizabeth Harris Finley; 5- Craig Harris. VMI Record: Entered VMI- Jan. 16, 1860 as 3rd Classman (Sophomore); Graduated early in Dec. of 1861 as the Corps of Cadets disbanded in July, 1861 because of the Civil War. Military Record: Drill Master for VMI Corps of Cadets stationed in Richmond, Va. in spring of 1861; Appointed 2nd Lieut. Regional Army of Confederate States July 16, 1861; assigned to duty with Col. (later Brig. Gen.) W. N. Pendleton, Nov. 1861; Appointed Assistant Adjutant General on staff of Brig. Gen. (later Maj. Gen.) C. Wilcox in late Nov. 1861; made Captain Jan. 31, 1862; Resigned July 1, 1862; assigned Lieut. and Acting Ordnance Officer to Maj. Gen. (later Lt. Gen.) D.H. Hill's division; promoted to temporary Captain April 17, 1863; named Chief of Ordnance of Maj. Gen. R. E. Rodes' division; Denied transfer to Maj. H. W. Gilmor's cavalry battalion. Careers: Politician. Populist, then Democrat; Represented Kansas in US House of Reps. 1893-95 and in US Senate 1897-1903; Lost election for Governor of Kansas in 1906; said to have been the only Confederate ever elected to any office of importance in Kansas; Vice President of Denver, Laramie & Northwestern Railroad at time of death. Died- Dec. 20, 1909 in Chicago, IL; buried in Lawrence, KS.

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The database currently includes the names of all enrolled students (both graduates and non-graduates) from VMI's opening in 1839 through the World War II era. In addition, you will find biographical and genealogical information, including a summary of military service during the Civil War, for many individuals who attended in the 19th century. The database also includes some historical Faculty and Board of Visitors members, as well as U. S. Army students sent to VMI for training during World Wars I and II. The latter groups were not VMI cadets. For further information about an ancestor listed in the database, please contact the VMI Archives. We can check the complete record, let you know if other information available, and provide copies of original documents. This database is for historical research. We do not release information about living individuals.